Meet the Mentor: Shivangi Anil

Name and Pronouns: Shivangi Anil (She/her)

Gender Identities: Cisgender Heterosexual Female

Affinity Group: Disability Advocacy Group (gDAG)

Nationality: Indian Asian

Additional Identities: Disabled Woman

Languages: English and Hindi

Hometown: Delhi, India

Education: Bachelors & Masters In Psychology (India); Masters Candidate Mental Health Counselling & Behavioural Medicine

Industry of Interest: Adult mental health, disability advocacy.

Originally from India, I just moved to Boston to pursue my Masters in Mental Health Counselling & Behavioural Medicine. As a disabled person ( I live with spastic cerebral palsy,quadreplegia) the infrastructure and independence has been empowering.

Once denied admission to mainstream education in India ( 25+ years ago) because of my disability advocating my rights for education and those of fellow disabled people has been a lifelong journey.

Advocacy and resilience has been crucial to later getting my education from the best Institutions back home. I hold a bachelors and a masters In Psychology from India. My advocacy journey was the most fruitful when I led and re established the disability group at the University of Delhi. One of the 40+ members I mentored said that the support from the disability group had empowered her to dream and believe that she could become a teacher and be financially independent. That day, I decided that advocacy must spread forward.

Working towards that goal I started my practice as a therapist in India which focused on disability affirmative therapy . I also started the first support group for adults with disabilities. Now I am very excited to extend my journey as a C3 mentor.

When I am not reading about mental health, or advocating for disability rights I am a hindi movie, curly hair and skin care enthusiast.

Please feel free to reach out to talk about how we can work together to support your journey at BU.

Would love to chat about mental health, movies, curly hair and skincare too.